


Eiskaffee

by yeaka



Category: Bee Movie (2007)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Asexual Character, Established Relationship, F/M, Ficlet, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-05-02 11:38:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5246909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vanessa and Barry share a quiet date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eiskaffee

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Bee Movie or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Coffee’s all new to Barry, and he seems to like everything Vanessa orders, so she always has the choice. She has to be the one to wait at the register, anyway—Barry can’t carry the money, and she doesn’t like to use her card for snacks—but he’s surprisingly good at saving their table. His large voice makes up for his small stature.

Today, she settles for a mocha, something simple but creamy and delicious. They’re usually nice enough to make it not burning hot, so she can use two straws—that makes it easier to share. Barry never drinks enough to warrant buying two separate cups; sometimes she teases that he’s a cheap date. 

The ceramic mug is warm in her hands. She uses both to bring it to the table, painted in a checkerboard pattern of browns, right next to the window so they can see when the rain dies down enough to leave. Not that she’s in any hurry. By the time she’s settled into her chair, she’s hot enough to roll up the sleeves of her sweater and the floral blouse underneath, so Barry gets her bare arm to sit on. She bends one straw down to him and takes the other to her lips—that first sip is just what she needed. 

Eyes fluttering closed, she lets out a sigh, takes another sip, then another, then leans back against her chair to stretch out her legs. It was a rough morning and too busy at the shop, but quick coffee dates always ease all the aches away. Spending time with Barry is so _easy_. She smiles down at him to share that feeling, but he’s looking at her arm and the black script scrawled beneath his rear. His stinger is carefully bent out of the way, his tiny fuzz somewhat tickling her skin. She can tell he’s going to ask a question, and sure enough, he glances up to her with his head cocked cutely to the side. “Do all humans really get names of _total strangers_ destined for them scrawled on their arms? I’m no scientist, but that doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Vanessa bites back a giggle, because it makes no less sense than talking bees. But discussing the differences in their cultures is one of the most fascinating parts of their relationship, so she answers smoothly, “I think so.” At the quirk of his brow, she pauses for a moment, a memory stirring, then adds, “Although, I had a friend in college who grew little bumps instead of text when her time came. But it turned out her soulmate was blind and their name was written in Braille—it gave her a good heads up to start learning it early.”

Barry lowers his hand to touch his own name in big, elegant letters across her forearm, his fingers almost too small for her to see. It doesn’t feel like her soulname has any indents to her, just a different colour of flesh, but perhaps it’s more distinct on his scale. He only takes his hand away when he uses both to take hold of the straw again, and he sucks up one tiny bead of coffee before flashing her a proud smile. “At least you knew you were getting a guy with a snazzy name.”

She can’t help but laugh and admit, “Actually, I thought it was a tad silly when I first got it.” Barry, always good-natured, only lets out a mocked gasp of offense. She quickly adds, “Of course, it makes perfect sense now.” And then, because his smile is so radiant and she’s so very fond of him, she continues, “You know, though... I was immensely relieved when it did come in.”

“Because of the ace thing?” Barry asks, perceptive as ever and wholly casual about it. She nods sheepishly. 

“Well, I didn’t want to wind up all alone, and it seemed unfair to burden a soulmate with an asexual partner...”

“Unless they are too,” Barry points out. 

“Or a bee,” Vanessa corrects, grinning wildly. She would’ve never guessed that in a million years, but it’s all worked out rather well, and she couldn’t ask for a better partner. She doesn’t bring up her ex—the only human she ever tried—who seemed hyper-sexual, always pawing for what she didn’t want to give, but had been nicknamed ‘Barry’ in high school over a fruit incident and she thought maybe that’d be enough. In retrospect, she wishes she’d waited.

On the other hand, it gave her life experience, and it made her realize what she won’t tolerate again. And it helps her appreciates Barry all the more. For a moment, they enjoy their mocha in quiet, with just the dim pitter-patter of the rain against the glass and the muffled backdrop of conversations at other tables, at least one of which is probably about the strange woman quite content to have a bee on her arm. As usual, neither Vanessa or Barry pay the gossip any mind. After another sip, Barry abandons his seat to come up to the rim of the coffee cup, where his little legs kick over the side and his arms beckon the faint steam towards himself, antennae dancing in delight. 

Vanessa gives the cup a shallow stir, better blending in the cream on top, and Barry says, “You know, maybe I should get your name tattooed, so we’ll be even.” Before she can ask if bees even have tattooing capabilities, he adds, “Couldn’t go with traditional black writing though; it’d clash with my favourite sweater.”

Vanessa snorts up some coffee and has to quickly throw a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter. He often does that to her. She waves the other hand to show she’s alright, coughs, and tells him, “That’s alright. I already know you love me.”

He grins wide enough to crinkle his blue eyes, and then he leaps off the cup. He flies up to her face, the buzzing drawing a few quizzical stares, and he places a chaste kiss on her bottom lip. She can barely feel the touch, but she can feel it in her heart. Then he comes to rest on her shoulder, announcing, “The coffee’s all yours; I’m stuffed!”

So Vanessa throws one arm around the back of her chair and takes the cup in her other hand, drinking down the rest while Barry idly braids three single strands of her hair.


End file.
